It is currently difficult for a large business to monitor the processing of checks taking place across the business' network of store locations. Each store's imaging and/or processing efforts can encounter various problems that are not relayed to business management. As a result, management cannot apply the collective experience of the other store locations to address such problems.
Furthermore, with the advent of electronic check processing that takes place in the back office of a store location, for example, there will be new problems created in processing the checks. Again, management cannot address these problems until they are made aware of the situation.
One example of a problem will be the quality of imaged checks that are imaged in the back office of a store. With the advent of new regulations concerning back office conversion of checks, more and more companies will be imaging checks at the store location and submitting those images rather than the physical check for processing. Those images in turn will in some cases be converted to a data file for ACH processing through the Automated Clearinghouse. In other instances an image replacement document, or image exchange, will be used to process the check via Check 21 procedures. At any rate, during imaging of the checks at a store location, a store's machinery might become streaked or dirty resulting in poor image quality scans of the checks. As a result, some of the check data will be unreliable or a check might have to be scanned multiple times. This creates inefficiency throughout the check processing process due to unreadable data, erroneously read data, or resubmission of data. However, management cannot address this imaging problem until the problem is noticed. In the case of check imaging, a subtle deterioration in check images could take some time for a store manager to recognize. Thus, the problem could linger for some time until it is detected.
Another example that currently exists with check processing is fraud. Fraud can be perpetrated by individuals writing checks and can also be perpetrated by individuals within the corporate organization, such as cashiers who scan in checks, store managers, or others. As one example, a cashier who scans in a check so as to create an image for electronic check conversion, can be given the authority to correct information corresponding to a scanned check. This allows the cashier to address the issue of the check being illegible or the case of the hand-written dollar amount not corresponding to the numerically written dollar amount. As a result, it allows the cashier to adjust the amount of the check and thus provides an opportunity for fraud.
Thus, there is a need for a system that can address at least one of these deficiencies in the electronic processing of checks.